A Magistrate Court 3 sitting in Lafia has granted bail to the 38 protesters arrested by the Nigeria Police force in Nasarawa State for alleged Conspiracy, Unlawful Assembly, and Disturbance by Fire.
Voice of Nigeria reports that the Nigeria Police had on January 19, 2024, arrested the protesters for blocking Lafia/Jos Road after the Supreme Court judgment that affirmed the victory of Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State.
The Police said the protesters comprising eight men and 30 women, had contravened the peace accord signed by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Magistrate in charge of the court, Mohammed Abdullahi-Lanze, granted the bail after the hearing on the bail application filed by counsels to the defendants.
The Magistrate, however, directed that the defendants must get a surety not below the position of a Director with the State or Federal Government each staying within the jurisdiction of the court.
He also said that each surety must submit his or her identity card, N2 million, letter of first appointment, and statement of account to the court.
He, therefore, adjourned the case to February 27, 2024 directed that all the defendants must be at the court on the next adjourned date.
Meanwhile, the Nasarawa State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General (AG), Barrister Labaran Magaji, who took over as the prosecuting Counsel, withdrew all three counter applications.
The counter-application had been filed by the police who were prosecuting the matter before it was taken over by the Attorney general of the state.
The AG said that the offenses committed by the defendants were bailable by the provision of the laws and as such, the state had withdrawn the counter earlier filed to save the time of the court.
He told the court that all the defendants be made to attend subsequent proceedings of the court unfailingly.
On his part, Counsel to the defendants, Barr. Ayiwulu Baba-Ayiwulu appealed that the bail condition be simplified to enable them meet the condition.
He appealed that Barr. Esson Mairiga, House of Assembly Member representing Lafia North at the Nasarawa State Assembly had offered to stand as surety to all the defendants.
The court therefore asked the defending counsel to apply formally and assured that the appeal would be considered in the interest of justice.
